Page 10 of To Claim His Highland Bride

“Don’t harm me,” Bryce rasped, “or you’ll never see the girl again.”

Rowena. He was talking about Rowena. Marcus loosened his grip but did not remove his hand.

Bryce stretched his neck and took a deep breath of air before smiling. “It’s truly a brilliant plan. I kidnapped Rowena and have hidden her where you or her brothers will never find her unless you pay me a ransom for her return.”

“Why?” The horror of Bryce’s words pierced Marcus’s brain. “What is this really about, Bryce? Are you angry that I turned my back on the MacDonald clan? On you? If so, take your hostilities out on me.”

“I intend to.” His smile turned sinister. “I know you have returned to Scotland a wealthy man, and I want every piece of that treasure or I will kill your lovely bride.”

Marcus forced Bryce away from him with so much force that his cousin nearly fell backwards as he stumbled to catch himself. “You never change, Bryce. You were always jealous of what others had, especially me. Yet you were never willing to work for anything yourself.”

Bryce rubbed his neck. “I’m not like you, Cousin. I’ve never been good with a sword, because no one wanted to train me. I’m not supported by our clan as you always were, but then you were the one who betrayed the MacDonalds, fighting for the MacLeods instead.”

“If you weren’t so irritating, you might have had those things.”

Bryce scowled. “Don’t act all high and mighty with me. The tables have turned. You’re the one who will suffer now because I’ve taken the woman you love from you and will not return her unless you give me your treasure.”

While Marcus was concerned for Rowena’s safety, he didn’t think his cousin had it in him to kill the woman if he really did have her. “How do I know you are telling me the truth? There are many reasons for the MacLeods to be absent from Dunvegan.”

Bryce reached inside his sporran and brought forth a kerchief that contained a swath of dark brown hair. “Is this enough proof? Or should I bring you one of her fingers instead?”

The dark brown hair bordered on the edge of black, yet it glistened in the morning sun much the same way it had when he’d walked with Rowena on this very beach, dreaming of the future they would share. Regardless of this proof, Marcus could not do what Bryce wanted. Though fifty per cent of the treasure was his to take as captain of the ship, he would only keep a small portion of that. The remaining treasure would go to the families of every man who had died in its recovery. “I have no treasure to offer you.”

“How can that be?” For a moment an expression of uneasiness crossed Bryce’s face.

“What we recovered is not mine to give.”

“That’s ridiculous. You found treasure. How can it not be yours?” Bryce’s gaze bored into Marcus’s. “Will you pay the ransom or not?”

“I will not.”

Bryce’s face reddened. “I’m not playing with you, Cousin, if that’s what you think.”

“I’m not toying with you either. I cannot pay the ransom.”

A flicker of impatience passed over Bryce’s face. “Do you smell blood, Cousin? Because if you cannot, then you soon will. I—” His words cut off at the sound of horse’s hooves on the packed earth of the front courtyard above them.

Marcus’s gaze shifted to the castle. “Sounds like some of the MacLeods have returned. Perhaps you’d like to approach one of Rowena’s brothers with your offer?” Marcus returned his gaze to his cousin and almost smiled as the colour drained from Bryce’s face.

Bryce backed away, heading towards the treeline. “I’ll give you until sundown tomorrow to change your mind or I will kill the girl.”

Marcus started after his cousin but as soon as Bryce reached the trees he leapt onto the back of a waiting horse, disappearing into the thick foliage. Marcus slowed from a run then stopped. He could not follow his cousin on foot, and even if he followed the coastline in his boat, he could not track his cousin if he went inland. Instead, he signalled his men to leave the boat and follow him. Marcus was left with no other choice than to climb the embankment to the front gates of Dunvegan. He would inform Rowena’s family that his cousin had abducted her and which direction Bryce had gone.

Together, the eight men started their climb. Marcus remained silent, pressing his lips together in thought. There wasn’t much that could rattle him after all he’d been through in the last few months, but facing any one of Rowena’s older brothers suddenly made risking his life for a sunken treasure seem like child’s play. The MacLeod brothers were a force to be reckoned with when one of their own was in trouble or betrayed.

*

Morning light seeped under the doorway of the hunting hide as Rowena stretched her stiff muscles. She’d dozed off a few times during the night while she’d been slowly working to loosen the ropes that bound her. Her captors had left her alone during the night. No doubt the ropes at her chest, hands, and feet made them think there was no way for her to escape.

What they didn’t know was that as Bryce had tied the rope about her chest, she’d filled her lungs with air, increasing her girth so when she breathed out, the ropes were not as tight as he thought they were.

She’d spent the better part of the night wiggling her torso, hands, and arms, slowly stretching the rope. Though red abrasions marred her wrists, she’d worked the rope loose enough so that with one more tug downward, she slipped one hand free.

Elation shot through Rowena as she quickly tossed the rope off her other hand and went to work on the knot at her chest. It didn’t take long to free herself after all her loosening over the night. All that remained was the knot at her ankles.

Her heart leapt to her throat at the sound of footsteps and muffled voices outside her door. Her fingers worked the knot until finally she felt it give, then hurried to untangle the rest. When she was finally free, she stood on unsteady legs and looked about the hunting blind for somewhere to hide.

The single room had no furnishings and no windows. Since there was no other option, she’d have to fight her way to freedom. She did not wear the fairy garments of her ancestor, but her mother had told Rowena that in order to wear the garments successfully a bit of fairy magic had to flow in her blood. Rowena hoped that bit of magic might help her now as she fought for her life.